Netflix recently premiered the directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, who is also the star in ‘Woman of the Hour’ which is a crime thriller based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala’s appearance on ‘The Dating Game’ show during the 1970s.
According to the official synopsis: “In 1970s Los Angeles, as a wave of murders makes headlines, a young woman aspiring to become an actress and a serial killer cross paths during an episode of a dating show.”
Kendrick stars alongside Daniel Zovatta, Tony Hale, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jakle, Nicolette Robinson, and Jedidiah Goodacre.
The movie rips right into the murderous journey of Alcala, whose name may not be as well known or recognizable as other notable serial killers but his spree is estimated to be shockingly widespread.
Kendrick plays Sheryl Bradshaw, a struggling and aspiring actress who, at the urging of her agent, lands a spot on the popular show ‘The Dating Game’ in the hopes that it will draw more attention and land more auditions.
Sheryl is set to choose between 3 contestants, including Alcala, who manages to charm his way through the competition.
The movie shows Alcala’s long-running spree, which spanned years, and included a young teenage runaway named Amy, who played a major part in Alcala’s takedown.
Alcala’s path of destruction is heart-wrenching, but more frustrating is how lax law enforcement, and the courts, seemed to be in ensuring that Alcala couldn’t hurt anymore people.
The movie perfects pace and builds tension fluidly. Kendrick’s own performance as Sheryl as she has extremely unsettling social interactions with Alcala, and is even put in a dangerous situation with him following the show, was notable.
A must watch for fans of true crime and also horror and while it doesn’t have the typical makeup of a horror film, it provides plenty of elements such as tension that help this movie stand out among the horror and thriller field this year.
